Global Impunity Index 2020 (GII 2020). Impunity Levels in the World

Abstract

The goal of the Global Impunity Index (GII) is to make visible, in quantitative terms, the impunity worldwide and its relationship with other complex phenomena such as inequality, corruption, and violence. • The GII is the most important international academic effort to measure—in comparative terms—levels of impunity worldwide. The GII’s quantitative methodology focuses on measuring the structure and operation of the security and justice systems, as well as respect for human rights in each country. • Based on the GII statistical results (and open access to our databases), researchers in universities, the media, civil society organizations, international agencies, global companies and the general public may carry out their own qualitative analysis by dimension, focused on each country and region. • From our first report, dated 2015, we have highlighted that measuring impunity is in itself very important; however, high impunity rates may also be related with social and economic inequality, access to justice and a weak Rule of Law, insufficient economic development, difficulties in attracting new sources of foreign investment and tourism, and, equally important, increased human rights violations. • The GII-2020 does not measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on impunity. However, given the link between impunity and inequality it would be important to analyze how the pandemic may exacerbate insecurity and violence and further restrict access to justice and other public goods. If so, those regions with high levels of marginalization and lower levels of progress in the Rule of Law, as it is the case of Latin America, Africa, Central Asia, and Asia-Pacific would face a negative impact.

Keywords: Impunity, Justice, Security, Human Rights

JEL Classification: K14, K42, K40, K49, Y10